Jacoby Shaddix opens up about his battles with addiction and suicidal thoughts, urging people to talk openly about mental health and find strength in vulnerability.
In a recent interview, frontman of punk rock band Papa Roach, Jacoby Shaddix, known for hits like “Snakes” and “Last Resort.” opened up about his struggles with suicide, and being exposed to many of his dearest ones falling victim to it.
Shaddix has opined that the biggest misconception that bugs us and our view is mental health — and to reach out to one’s loved ones is often the first step in making things better. Shaddix reveals, “In my lifetime, I’ve had quite a few friends die by suicide, I’ve had family members die by suicide… It’s something that has been screaming in my face since I was in my teen years. And now it is at a fever pitch. And that’s really why I’m sitting here rapping with you about it, is because we need to talk about it.”
Speaking of his own struggles, Shaddix adds that there have been times where he has himself dealt with thoughts along similar lines. The artist continued speaking about his feelings and making himself comfortable with vulnerability and admitting that he needed help. Additionally, he has been able to put down the bottle twelve years ago, and works continually towards self-betterment.
While Shaddix is sober now, it’s not a fight he was always winning. “I had a mean struggle with it, man. I tried to get sober for the first time when I was 27 and struggled with it for years and fell off and got back on, and fell off and got back on. Then I finally found a support group of other musicians that were traveling the road and living the life that I was living, ’cause it’s quite unique, in a sense. And I found a way to do it and a way to find some peace,” he says.
The band has also announced that they will be partnering with the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) who are fighting to reduce the devastating impact of suicide in the U.K.
